Announced in Japan in 1998, the technology was introduced in Europe in 2003. In 2009, in Turkey made available. Vodafone, which started to offer this service for the first time 17 years ago, is preparing to unplug the 3G network in the UK.
With the availability of 4G technology in almost every area and the introduction of 5G even in limited areas, the need for 3G has decreased. A small part of the UK still uses only 3G connectivity, including parts of Cornwall, Rural Scotland and North Norfolk.
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Vodafone to unplug 3G in the UK by 2023
In some regions, voice calls are even made over the 2G signal, but this is equivalent to 2.2 percent of the UK. Stating that more than 2 million people in the UK still use phones with 3G support, the authorities will not directly pull the plug of 3G, as you can imagine. It will be phased out gradually from next year.
It is stated that while the number of people actively using the 3G network was 30 percent five years ago, it has decreased to 4 percent now. The only advantage of 4G and 5G is not that they are more efficient and offer faster speeds, but that they are environmentally friendly as they consume less energy. To explain this with an example, the energy consumption of devices used in 5G technology is up to 10 times lower compared to 3G equipment.
Vodafone UK CEO Ahmed Essam stated that after this decision, they started to communicate with customers and they would be provided with the necessary help to upgrade their phones. In addition, various advertising campaigns are carried out for people who do not know what technology they are using, especially for young people to check the phones of the people around them.